Extension of benefit of Insurance Scheme as announced by Hon’ble Finance Minister on 26 March 2020 for health workers fighting COVID-19

Subject: Extension of benefit of Insurance Scheme as announced by Hon’ble Finance Minister on 26 March 2020 for health workers fighting COVID-19 in Government Hospitals and health Care Centers to Defence Civilian employees engaged in various essential services for supporting the front warriors of war against Covid-19.

Respected Sir,

With due regards, your kind attention is drawn to the announcements made by Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate affairs Smt.Nirmala Sitharaman on 26/March/2020 whereby it was made public that

Any health professional, who while treating Covid-19 patients, meet with some accident, then she/he would be compensated with an amount of Rs 50 lakh under the scheme.

And all government health centres, wellness centres and hospitals of Centre as well as States would be covered under this scheme. Approximately 22 lakh health workers would be provided insurance cover to fight this pandemic.

Further, it is for your kind information that employees of various Ordnance factories have been deployed to manufacture essential equipments like mask, coverall, sanitizer etc for our front warriors viz. Health professionals, Police personnel, Sanitation workers to protect them from this pandemic.

Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has designated 285 beds as isolation wards for handling Covid -19 cases in various Ordnance Factories hospitals located in different parts of the country. Sufficient staff has also been engaged for the task.

DRDO employees are also serving the establishment as well as the Nation by manufacturing ventilators and sanitizer.

Besides above, essential duty employees like Durwan, Firefighting staff, Electrical and Maintenance staff etc are being deployed in various defence establishments like MES Depots ,Workshops under Army HQ, Civilian employees under AIR HQ and Naval HQ, DGQA & DGAQA so as to maintain the establishments properly and prepare them for any untoward situation. They are continuing their services/support to Armed forces of India in this vulnerable time so as to prove them “ the strongest” at any situation.

In above circumstances, these employees may expose/ fall prey to this pandemic. Yet they are feeling proud of being part of this war against Covid-19.

Though these employees do not seek any additional favour/ remuneration from their employers, yet in case of any mishappening /accident happens with employees attributed to Covid-19 their families will have to face misery and sufferings.

Therefore, you are requested to extend the benefit of Rs 50 lakhs under Special Insurance Scheme as announced by Hon’ble Finance Minister to Defence Civilian Employees too so as to mitigate the hardships of families of the employees, if any accident attributed to Covid-19 occurs with them while performing their duties.